What happened on December 22, 1996

BOOKS

NEWS

ENTERTAINMENT

Fast Times, Indeed By Steve Hochman, Steve Hochman is a regular contributor to Calendar
Working Their Way Out of a Jam By Robert Hilburn, Robert Hilburn is The Times' pop music critic
Beatty on Board By Sean Mitchell, Sean Mitchell is a frequent contributor to Calendar
A Crack in Tradition By Jennifer Fisher, Dance writer and critic Jennifer Fisher is finishing her dissertation on the community role played by local American "Nutcracker" productions
It's No Mirage By Nicolai Ouroussoff, Nicolai Ouroussoff is The Times' architecture critic
Location, Location, Location? By Michelle Willens
BIZ SENSE: The condo and the Range Rover may set them back... By Kathleen Craughwell
He's 'Star'-Crossed No Longer By Robert W. Welkos, Robert W. Welkos is a Times staff writer
Spreading Traditions of La Navidad By Jan Breslauer, Jan Breslauer is a regular contributor to Calendar
VA Grounds Becoming a Staging Area By Don Shirley, Don Shirley is a Times staff writer
Have Yourself a Medieval Christmas By Mark Swed, Mark Swed is The Times' music critic
Museums Wrapping Up a Very Good Year By Suzanne Muchnic, Suzanne Muchnic is The Times' art writer
Chris Burden Retrospective at U. of Washington Canceled By Suzanne Muchnic
The Inside Story on Hip-Hop's Outsiders By Cheo Hodari Coker, Cheo Hodari Coker is a Times staff writer
PRODIGIOUS SUM: A bidding war is under way among major... By Dave Jennings, From London
FILMSPOTTING: Director Danny Boyle, who accompanied his... By Dave Jennings, From London
SMALL FACES: In a near-reunion of Jane's Addiction, Perry...
On a Sound Track
BUY BBC: Having risen to prominence among music retailers... By Steve Hochman
Next Into the Minefield: U2 and Offspring By Steve Hochman
PRODIGAL SON: The society of children of famous music... By Steve Hochman
ALBUM SPOTLIGHT : The 'Heart' of the Matter By Don Heckman
Going Classical With Babar, Mother Goose By Lynne Heffley, Lynne Heffley is a Times staff writer

BUSINESS

FOOD

The Stuffings of Virtue By Mary Carroll, SPECIAL TO THE TIMES; Carroll is the author of the "No Cholesterol (No Kidding!) Cookbook" (Rodale Press, 1991)
I'll Bring the Veggies By Abby Mandel, SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
Land of Milk and Toffee By Laurie Ochoa
Christmas Makes Very Good Scents By Tracy Crowe Mcgonigle
The Bread of the Magi By Juana Vazquez-gomez, SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
A Sip Around the World
Nifty Gifting By Betty Rosbottom, SPECIAL TO THE TIMES; Rosbottom is a cooking school director and author of "American Favorites" (Chapters Publishing, 1996)
Imported Scots By Rose Dosti
Corny Cookies By Donna Deane, TIMES TEST KITCHEN DIRECTOR
For the Love of Stollen By Margaret Sheridan, TIMES STAFF WRITER
I learned to make hard candy in a place where there was... By Joan Drake, SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

CALIFORNIA | LOCAL

OPINION

City Lite By Thomas Bender, Thomas Bender, professor of humanities at New York University, is the author of "New York Intellect" (Knopf/Johns Hopkins)
A Big Setback for a Leader Used to Success By Michael Shifter, Michael Shifter is program director for democratic governance at the Inter-American Dialogue and adjunct professor of Latin America studies at Georgetown Univeristy
Will Gingrich Be Felled by 'Politics of Appearance'? By Suzanne Garment, Suzanne Garment, a contributing editor to Opinion, is a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. She is the author of "Scandal: The Culture of Mistrust in American Politics" (Times Books)
Size, Global Dominance Don't Ensure Job Security By Robert E. Scott, Robert E. Scott is research associate at the Economic Policy Institute and assistant professor of business management at the University of Maryland. He is the co-author, with Randy Barber, of a report titled "Jobs on the Wing: Trading Away the Future of the U.S. Aerospace Industry."
Salvaging the Peace Process Before It Takes Road of No Return By James A. Baker Iii, James A. Baker III served as secretary of state from 1989-1992. He is the author of "The Politics of Diplomacy" (Putnam)
Mobutu Must Be Part of the Solution By Adonis Hoffman, Adonis Hoffman is a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
When Banning Foreign Money, First Decide What Is 'Foreign' By Martin Walker, Martin Walker, a contributing editor to Opinion, is U.S. bureau chief for Britain's The Guardian, and author of "The President We Deserve: Bill Clinton's Rise, Falls and Comebacks" (Crown)
Karen Armstrong By Steve Proffitt
The California Look May Be on the Wane in Washington
Mainstream English Is the Key
A Star Man Departs
A Child Untickled by the New Elmo By Frank Del Olmo, Frank del Olmo is assistant to the editor of The Times and a regular columnist
What's Good for Ovitz Is Good for America By Michael Moore, Michael Moore is the author of "Downsize This: Random Threats from an Unarmed American" (Crown/Random House, 1996)
The Least of These Our Brethren By Donella H. Meadows, Donella H. Meadows is an adjunct professor of environmental studies at Dartmouth College
Why Chief Willie Williams Deserves Five More Years By Joe Domanick, Joe Domanick is author of "To Protect and to Serve: The LAPD's Century of War in the City of Dreams" (Pocket Books)

SPORTS

MAGAZINE

TRAVEL

What happened on December 22, 1996

BOOKS

Nonfiction From the introduction by John Updike

The protests of the 1960s may fade in memory, but it... By Leonard Michaels, \o7 Leonard Michaels is the author of, among other works, "Sylvia" (Mercury House), "To Feel These Things" (Mercury House) and "A Cat" (Riverhead Books)\f7

Unforgivable : CLINT EASTWOOD: A Biography.\o7 By Richard Schickel (Alfred A. Knopf: 537 pp., $26)\f7 By Allen Barra, \o7 Allen Barra writes about film for the Newark Star Ledger, Premiere and the Los Angeles Times\f7

I Got You, Babe : PIG.\o7 By Andrew Cowan (Harcourt Brace: 224 pp., $21)\f7 By Merle Rubin, \o7 Merle Rubin reviews regularly for the Wall Street Journal and the Christian Science Monitor and contributes to Newsday and the Washington Times\f7

The Secret of Ethan's Wife : ZEENA.\o7 By Elizabeth Cooke (St. Martin's Press: 323 pp., $23.95)\f7 By Francesca Stanfill, \o7 Francesca Stanfill's most recent novel is "Wakefield Hall" (Dell)\f7

REMEMBER LAUGHTER \o7 by Wallace Stegner (Penguin: 152... By Charles Solomon

HALF THE HOUSE: A Memoir \o7 by Richard Hoffman (Harcourt... By Charles Solomon

MUCHA: The Triumph of Art Nouveau \o7 by Arthur Ellridge... By Charles Solomon

FOUR CORNERS: History, Land and People of the Desert... By Charles Solomon

THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES: A Journey Around South America \o7... By Charles Solomon

THE PRACTICAL GUIDE TO PRACTICALLY EVERYTHING: 1997 Edited... By Charles Solomon

The wacky crew at Planet Dexter has done it again... By Martin Zimmerman

RAISE THE RED LANTERN \o7 by Su Tong, translated from the... By Charles Solomon

THE ROMANOVS: The Final Chapter \o7 by Robert K. Massie... By Charles Solomon

THE ROAD AHEAD \o7 by Bill Gates with Nathan Myhrvold and... By Charles Solomon

NEWS

The longtime feud between Harry Shuster and the Irvine Co. may end in dynamite and clouds of dust. Caught in the middle are Irvine Meadows, Wild Rivers. By Marla Dickerson, TIMES STAFF WRITER

Getting Back to Basics By Lynell George, TIMES STAFF WRITER

Partners in Parenting By Dawn Bonker, SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

Barbie Goes Places She's Never Even Imagined By Lynn Smith, TIMES STAFF WRITER

A Time to Create New Holiday Memories By Mary Lou Loper, TIMES STAFF WRITER

Missed Connections, Crossed Signals--and a Ringing Headache By Mark Ehrman, SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

A Hollywood Ending By Julie Cart, TIMES STAFF WRITER

Cyclists Injured in Collision With Car By Scott Steepleton

Nazi Collaborator's Deportation Ends Long-Running Investigation By Sharon Cohen, ASSOCIATED PRESS

Discovery of Mummies Fuels Archeologists' Rush to Dig Up Peru's Past By Lynn F. Monahan, ASSOCIATED PRESS

Water Crisis Looms for Many Asian Countries By Kenneth L. Whiting, ASSOCIATED PRESS

Followers Flock to Persistent Preacher By Krishnan Guruswamy, ASSOCIATED PRESS

Divorce Now Acceptable in China as Once-Rigid Standards Dissolve By Keith B. Richburg, WASHINGTON POST

Bet Cut Short, Mailmen Decide to Pant in Winter \o7 Associated Press\f7

He's Having a Great Time as White House Clock Man By Lawrence L. Knutson, ASSOCIATED PRESS

Patients Do Well Without Transfusions During Surgery By Linda A. Johnson, ASSOCIATED PRESS

Experts Match Children, Private Schools for a Fee By Kathleen Day, WASHINGTON POST

Family of Student Killed in Hazing Gets $2.25-Million Settlement \o7 Associated Press\f7

Arizona Man Convicted of Killing Children \o7 Reuters\f7

Letters Lighten Twain's Dark Image By Ben Dobbin, ASSOCIATED PRESS

Profiting by Preying on the Poor By Jeff Brazil, TIMES STAFF WRITER

O.C. Airport Neighbors Give Advice on Noise By Janet Wilson, TIMES STAFF WRITER

Social Security of Millions at Mercy of Computer System By Ralph Vartabedian, TIMES STAFF WRITER

China Imposes New Legislature on Hong Kong By Maggie Farley, TIMES STAFF WRITER

Special Interests Help Powerful Lockyer By Paul Jacobs, TIMES STAFF WRITER

Speaker's Grip on Leadership Now Uncertain By Ronald Brownstein, TIMES POLITICAL WRITER

Gingrich Admits He Broke Rules and Misled Panel By Marc Lacey, TIMES STAFF WRITER

From Jail and Grave, Sisters in Plot Leave Families Torn By Beth Shuster, TIMES STAFF WRITER

Peru Rebel Chief Vows to Free Most Hostages By Mary Beth Sheridan, TIMES STAFF WRITER

Blueprint for Future LAPD Is Still on Drawing Board By Jim Newton, TIMES STAFF WRITER

How Could the Attack Plan Go Undetected? By Sebastian Rotella, TIMES STAFF WRITER

Journey of a Century / \o7 One Family's Odyssey to Los... By Darrell Satzman and Jon D. Markman

Pringle Seeks Funds to Pay Off GOP Debt By Eric Bailey, TIMES STAFF WRITER

Hog Heaven By Carla Hall, TIMES STAFF WRITER

Scientists Upbeat on Earthquake Predictions By Kenneth Reich, TIMES STAFF WRITER

Delegation Reports Scant Progress in Serbian Talks By Tracy Wilkinson, TIMES STAFF WRITER

Rebel Tajik Group Releases 7 U.N. Hostages, 14 Others \o7 From Times Wire Services\f7

Assassin's Sentence Stands; Others Freed From Times Wire Reports

Political Rivalry Leads to Skirmish From Times Wire Reports

Ex-Hostage Named to Head University From Times Wire Reports

Doctors Remove Havel's Respirator From Times Wire Reports

Romanians Mark Revolt Anniversary From Times Wire Reports

U.S. in Tight Spot on Mideast Peace By Norman Kempster and Tyler Marshall, TIMES STAFF WRITERS

Israelis and Palestinians Clash in West Bank Melee \o7 From Times Wire Services\f7

Lebanon Admits to Detentions \o7 Reuters\f7

Clinton Aims for 'Army of Reading Tutors' to Expand Literacy Program By Marlene Cimons, TIMES STAFF WRITER

Loophole Assures Food Stamp Flow From Times Staff and Wire Reports

2 Shot at Ft. Bragg; Soldiers Questioned From Times Staff and Wire Reports

DNA Tests Likely for TWA Crash Remains From Times Staff and Wire Reports

ValuJet Cancels Flights on 2 Routes From Times Staff and Wire Reports

Time Names AIDS Scientist Man of the Year \o7 From Associated Press\f7

'Salvage Santa' Recycles Toys for the Needy \o7 From Associated Press\f7

Deputies Arrest Last of 3 Escapees \o7 From a Times staff writer\f7

Ousted Speaker of House Refuses Chance to Gloat By Marlene Cimons, TIMES STAFF WRITER

Disguised as Teacher, China Officer Kills Captor of 28 Children \o7 Reuters\f7

Thousands Pay Last Respects to Mastroianni in Rome \o7 From Reuters\f7

24 Die in China Bridge Collapse \o7 From Reuters\f7

Unfinished Chinese Bridge Falls; 24 Killed \o7 From Reuters\f7

Colombians Happy to Tell It to the Judge By Juanita Darling, TIMES STAFF WRITER

Prosecutors Score Victory After Ex-Tenants Testify Against Unlicensed Operator By Jeff Brazil, TIMES STAFF WRITER

Racist Flier Appears; 5 Students Suspended \o7 Associated Press\f7

Snow Blankets Lake Tahoe Area \o7 Associated Press\f7